Opinions everywhere

When we express our opinion towards people, places, events, objects, traditions, culture, etc., we tend to describe them and make comparisons in all languages. In English, we use Comparatives and Superlatives to make distinctions among many things. We may use adjectives and opposites or synonyms to make descriptions.

Look at the following synonyms and click on every one of them to listen the pronunciation:

  • pretty 🔊
  • beautiful 🔊
  • contemporary 🔊
  • modern 🔊
  • expensive 🔊
  • overpriced 🔊
  • amazing 🔊
  • great 🔊
  • joyful 🔊
  • cheerful 🔊
  • crowded 🔊
  • bustling 🔊
  • famous 🔊
  • popular 🔊
  • slim 🔊
  • thin 🔊
  • cool 🔊
  • nice 🔊
  • tasty 🔊
  • delicious 🔊
  • bright-colored 🔊
  • colorful 🔊
  • ancient 🔊
  • classical 🔊

It’s time to use adjectives!

Writing exercise

Look at the photos of the two places mentioned in the comic. Which synonyms would you use to describe each place and its food, people, traditions, etc.? Read the short descriptions that Abril and Stephen make about each place. Their descriptions are similar. Choose synonyms to complete the blanks.

NEW ORLEANS KYOTO
New Orleans Kyoto
People are cool and joyful. People are and nice and cheerful good and talkative.
Souvenirs are expensive almost all the year. Souvenirs are overpriced.
Most buildings and houses are… and bright-colored and great. Most buildings including houses and temples are colorful and amazing.
Food is popular and tasty in most restaurants. Food is and famous and delicious.
Traditions are classical and remarkable. Traditions are and ancient and astonishing.
There are a few contemporary buildings. There are not many modern buildings.
Select exercise

We do not just use adjectives to describe beautiful places like New Orleans and Kyoto. We can also use adjectives to describe people in terms of personality and physical appearance. Look at the two portraits students from the Art Academy described. Choose the synonyms that match with the sentences written by the students. Correct answers will be in green and the wrong ones in red

“Hi guys! Today we’ll take a look at some famous portraits. The main purpose of this class is to use imagination to describe the people in the portraits to better understand the artist point of view and technique. Look at the portraits and write descriptions in terms of personality and physical appearance, please.”

I must confess that I like this technique. The girl in the portrait looks very young. Well, I think she is thin.

She is pretty.

She is gorgeous.

She's extroverted.

She's intelligent.

I don’t think she is grumpy.

Some of my classmates might think he is ugly, but I disagree.

I think he is good-looking.

The way he is posing makes me think he isn’t a dedicated person.

He isn’t lively at all.

Physically, he is pale.

He is muscular.